Karl XI visits the Sala silver mine
King Karl XI visited the Sala silver mine in the summer of 1687. This medal, which was struck in honour of the visit, depicts the king down in the mine and the miners working to mine the ore.
The ore was mined using the method that involved heating the rock with fire to create cracks, and then breaking the rock with picks and pry bars.
Silver began to be mined in Sala as early as the 15th century. Silver production then had three heydays: the early 16th century, the mid-17th century and the late 19th century. Between 3 and 5 tonnes of silver were produced each year in the best years of the 16th century. The Sala silver mine was Sweden’s most important silver deposit.
